Rare ‘golden eagle’ swoops past motorist at Kent roadside

Residents of Kent might expect to come across the odd squirrel or rabbit on their drive to work – but certainly not a golden eagle.

Ricky Shaw, from Ashford, was driving along Cheeseman’s Green Lane when the rare bird of prey swooped down and flew ahead of him.

Recorded on Ricky’s dash-cam, the eagle is initially camouflaged against the bushes lining the road but the huge creature soon emerges, its six-foot wingspan clear to see as it flies up and out of shot.

The creature is one of the UK’s second largest eagle species (Picture: Ricky Shaw/YouTube)

‘It’s not something I normally come across on my way to work,’ said Ricky.

Experts at Eagle Heights bird of prey centre in nearby Eynsford said it was likely a golden eagle – the UK’s second largest eagle species and one of the most accomplished hunters in the animal kingdom.

Although the birds are not rare to the British Isles, they are usually to be found in the wild, open moorlands of Scotland, favouring remote areas far from settlements.

What it’s doing on a road in Kent is anyone’s guess.

In the UK, golden eagles tend to be found in remote and open areas like the Scottish Highlands – so not Kent (Picture: Ricky Shaw/YouTube)